SIGNAL PEST
Magic comics, my favorite card alterer, and beautiful writing on horror
SIGNAL PEST is an article series that spotlights good work within the Magic scene and elsewhere.
I) Tales From the Mana Crypt
Tales From the Mana Crypt is a Magic manga series by writer Eric Oh and illustrator Tristan Sito. Since March 2022, the duo has composed nearly 100 comics together, with stories ranging from a dedicated Cube builder attempting to host game night to a Sakura-Tribe Elder failing to find a useful resting spot. These two artists understand the design fundamentals of comics and provide clever observations of Magic players from within the culture. I find their work smart, charming, revealing – even poignant at times.
Favorites include “The Elder Dragon,” “Hidden Price of Glory,” and “Picture Day”
II) Thatglobalforestguy
MrForest is my favorite card alterer, full-stop. I picked up a Solemn Simulacrum last year for my Athreos deck and I’m long overdue for a second piece. Casper’s style is outlandish, strange, grotesque, beautiful; he’s an artist with a vision and a voice. He also works at an unmatched pace, posting new cards every couple of days or so.
Currently, he sells cards on two Instagram accounts. This page uses an auction system, and this one uses an open market with set prices.
Alters like this can make for meaningful gifts. Pick something up for a friend (and maybe treat yourself to one, too.)
IV) The Morbid Zoo
Mariana Colín is a film and communications scholar who makes videos under the monicker Morbid Zoo. I found her analysis on The VVitch a couple months ago, watched the whole thing (twice) totally enraptured, then spent the rest of the week devouring everything on the channel.
Colín’s work is sharp and profound, often full of individual lines that will move you in ways that only powerful writing can. It’s rare these days to find video essayists who actually know how to draft an article and argue a position. Pennywise is a perfect clown, The Cenobites are pain transcendent, and Elden Ring cares about your suffering are a few of my favorites from her channel. Academic approaches to pop culture like this inspire me like all hell and actively make me miss grad school.
"A grafted tree doesn't know it's been mangled. It's just trying to survive."
IV) SIGNALS
Full disclosure: this article series is a direct riff on SIGNALS by fashion and lifestyle blogger Michael Williams. A Continuous Lean is my favorite site on Substack, one I happily pay $8 per month to read, and the sole reason I’m writing here. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in the intersection between menswear, photography, golf, travel, cooking, and being a dad.
V) LINKS
